Total Eclipse of the Heart
by Claire Starling
Summary: The last person Erik expects comes to solve his holiday problems. Oneshot. WARNING: Total Fluff.


Disclaimer: hm... well see, I think in my past life I might have been the nextdoor neighbor of the brother of the cousin of the business assiciate of the paperboy who delivered M. Leroux's paper... so we're practically family!  
  
  
Total Eclipse of the Heart  
  
_____________  
  
"And I need you now tonight  
And I need you more than ever  
And if you only hold me tight  
We'll be holding on forever  
And we'd only be making it right  
Cause we'll never be wrong  
Together we can take it to the end of the line  
My love is like a shadow on you all of the time  
  
~Vampires in Love (Total Eclipse of the Heart)  
_____________  
  
Erik hated Christmas. Hated. Hated. Hated. And it was worse this year. Last year, Christine had been with him… he as the Angel, she as his student. It had been one of the best days of his life. They had almost kissed… he bolted her door when she slept. His desire had run so high that night. He had taken an extra dose of morphine to knock himself out.  
  
But this year, he was alone. Christine and that stupid fop had left him two months ago. According to the newspapers, their wedding was on New Years Day. In seven days, his Christine would officially belong to another- forever.  
  
He felt the tears. The salty tears trailed down his face and he felt like he was suffocating. He took off his mask. It wasn't like anyone was here to see his face-  
  
"Erik, don't cry…"  
  
Erik's head shot up and his hand reached for his lasso. He froze when he saw what stood in front of him. A woman stood, Christine's hight, in a white dress. A long black cape was over it and a cowl covered her face. Her voice sounded strangely familiar but he couldn't place it.  
  
"Who are you and what are you doing in my home?" Erik said, rising.  
  
The woman laughed. "I can't tell you, dearest. Tell me… have you ever read, 'The Christmas Carol'?"  
  
Erik scowled in disbelief. "Are you supposed to be my Marley?"  
  
"No, silly boy. It's just… I'm an angel sent here to help you. I know you're in pain."  
  
"Who are you?" Erik demanded.  
  
"I was someone," she replied. "But like the ghosts I have something I want to show you. Put on your winter cloak, honey, it's chilly out."  
  
"I am not your 'honey'." He glared at the woman. To his surprise, he saw her head droop and he swore he heard a sniffle. But in a second, the head raised again and looked at him.   
  
"Come, we don't have much time," she said.  
  
Erik sighed. It was obvious she wasn't going to leave him alone until he did as she said. Putting on his cloak, he signaled her to continue.   
  
She said, "Take my hand," And she held it out.  
  
Erik reluctantly agreed. He felt a dizzying sensation, similar to one of his hashish highs. And then he felt it stop.   
  
"Come," she said, tugging his hand. He pulled his hand out of hers. Again, she looked hurt… or at least seemed hurt. "Come," she repeated.  
  
The walked out of the alleyway they appeared in. They were in an extremely rich area of Paris. In fact, they were on the edge of Paris. They were walking through the back yard of someone's estate.   
  
"You love her," she said.  
  
"How did you- oh yes- a spirit- yes, with everything I am."  
  
"She's been suffering," she stated.  
  
"What?!?" he exclaimed.  
  
"Keep your voice down, Erik. They can see us." She hissed.  
  
"But I thought…"  
  
"I said this is like Dickens. They can see you, not me." She stated. "Now where was I… ah yes, Christine. She chose you, Erik. You were her choice. She gave you what you always wanted, what SHE'S always wanted and you rejected her. It hurt her deeply… she only agreed to marry Raoul because she didn't want to break someone else's heart."  
  
"But she can't want me… I had to give her up. How can I damn her to the darkness? To my hell? How can I make her marry this thing… an angel and a monster. How terribly wrong."  
  
"She agrees," the spirit said.  
  
He said nothing.  
  
"Oh, I mean she agrees about the angel and the monster. Only to her, you've got it mixed up. You are the angel and she is the monster."   
  
"WHAT?" Erik hissed.  
  
"Yes," the spirit said, amusement in her voice. "She's always believed you were an angel. She thinks she's the monster. To be so cruel as to judge you by your face, after all that you did for her. She felt like a horrid woman that she frowns upon across the dressing circle."  
  
Erik felt like crying. He had barely noticed they were near the house now.  
  
"Look," she said, pointing to the window.  
  
The room was warm. There were several windows and there was a door onto a balcony. The red velvet couches brought out the green of the decorated tree in the background. A small figure sat curled up on the couch. Erik gasped when he saw it was Christine. And she was-  
  
"Crying. She's alone on Christmas, what could be a more terrible fate?" The spirit said, gazing at him.  
  
"But her Vicomte?" Erik asked.  
  
"Business trip. He left this morning. She's all alone."  
  
Erik felt the pull toward her. He was in the shadows outside the window. She was saying something…  
  
"Oh Erik… I wish you were here. That's the only present I could ever dream of having," Christine choked out between sobs.  
  
"Well, go on! What are you waiting for?" the spirit asked.  
  
"I can't just go in there!" Erik whispered.  
  
"Well, then bring her out," the ghost answered. He was about to protest when she interrupted. "Erik, listen to me. This is your last chance for happiness. Don't spoil it for both of you. She loves you, Erik. If you walk away, she'll be lost to you. And she'll die of a broken heart one day. Tell her, Erik. Take your chance. It's your last one." The spirit said as it started to fade.  
  
"Where are you going?" Erik called as he grabbed her cloak.   
  
She turned to look at him. "You no longer need me, dear. The choice is yours to make. Goodbye, Erik. Make the right choice." She said as she disappeared.  
  
Erik looked back at the window as he thought about what the spirit said. This was his last choice. His final choice. Christine was miserable. She looked too old, sorrow was no good for her. He had to do this. It felt right… he had to make Christine happy.  
  
"Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime. Lead me, save me from my solitude."  
  
Christine's head shot up as she looked around. "Angel?"  
  
"Say you want me with you here, beside you."   
  
She stood up immediately. "ERIK!" she cried as she flew out of the house. She stepped out on the balcony, gazing around. She thought she was going mad.  
  
"Anywhere you go let me go too!"  
  
"Erik," she whispered. She didn't care anymore that she could be crazy. She had to find him. Flying down the staircase, she finally saw him. He was glowing in the firelight of the room she just vacated. He wasn't wearing a mask but she barely registered it. All she saw was his eyes. The eyes that burned with his love for her.  
  
She joined her voice with his as he sang the next line. "Love me, that's all I ask of you…"  
  
The note faded out. Erik sighed as he looked at his angel. "Oh, Christine…"  
  
Christine said nothing. She ran to him and flung her arms around his neck. Erik was so surprised he nearly lost his balance.  
  
"You came back, my Angel, my Erik. You came back to me…" She clung to him like a child would to their teddy bear.  
  
He hugged her back, feeling tears rise to his eyes. "I'll never leave you again."  
  
She pulled away. "Oh Erik, I love you… please, take me away from this awful place. Love me as I love you. That's all I ask of you…"  
  
She had said it. The words registered in Erik's head. She had admitted that she loved him. He looked at her and smiled. "Christine, I love you," he sang.  
  
She smiled and pulled him close. The sorrow that had stained her face earlier had disappeared. Her face was alive and her eyes were glowing with happiness. "I love you too," she whispered against his lips before claiming them with her own.  
  
Erik found that Christmas wasn't nearly as horrible as he thought. In fact, from now on, he would consider this day to be a blessing. Holding his angel in his arms, Erik felt truly happy for the first time in his life.  
  
Two blue eyes watched the couple. The cowl was off the spirits face now, revealing her identity. The woman could have been Christine Daae in twenty years. A smile lit her features as she watched them. She started to fade, for the last and final time.  
  
"Merry Christmas, son," Madeline whispered. "Merry Christmas." 


End file.
